Roger hunched at his desk, reading Forever Steffi's message for the 20th time on all three of his mega-monitors (smaller was not always better, despite what all the guys in the valley believed). It was deadly quiet in his Cupertino office - a sleek sanctuary adorned by lifelike statues of Jade computer game characters.

Steffi's declaration that "Dallas is only my game city," not to mention her invitation to meet at the Den in San Francisco, had thrilled Roger, but now that Texas had just moved 1,500 miles closer, his excitement mixed with dread.

It was 8 o'clock on a Friday night, and Roger wanted to send a witty yet thoughtful response to his new online pal before heading back to the city. He was hoping that the old Silicon Valley, the land of apple orchards and sprawling tech campuses - his natural habitat - would spark some creativity, even if writing lovely prose took much more concentration than banging out an elegant fix for a messy line of code.

He wondered why Forever Steffi wanted to meet at a greasy spoon like the Den. (He loved greasy spoons, but even so.) What would Steffi think of the Jade Software building, which looked like a giant white cruise ship docked next to Stevens Creek Boulevard, all festive logo flags and blazing lights? Even more important, what would she think of dating Roger Martin, who was the commander of the ship and its 2,000 passengers?

Roger glanced at his plumbed-in espresso machine and its elaborate bronze pipes - it took too much user manipulation, in his opinion. Where was a cheap coffeepot when he needed it? For that matter, where was inspiration when he needed it? He had to act quickly, or he feared Forever Steffi could lose interest.

"Dear Forever Steffi: Thanks for your e-mail. I am happy to meet you at a time that is mutually convenient for all concerned."

Pathetic. Just as Roger was about to type a less mundane missive, his personal assistant, Lisa, barged into the office. When Roger stood up - his dad had taught him to do so whenever a lady entered the room - Lisa burst out laughing.

"No!" she put up her hand, smiling.

Roger frowned. At Lisa's insistence, he had tried on a costume - green tights and a cape - in preparation for an office rally for the new game "After Midnight," which they'd be rolling out soon. Lisa bossed him around as if she were the CEO, but she gave him more useful advice than his board.

"This is nonsense," Roger said, sitting down. "You want me to be seen in this getup right after you just got me off the Forbes Worst Dressed list?" He sneezed, sending an involuntary message that she shouldn't wear that powdery perfume or put a bouquet of fragrant roses on his desk (besides, the flowers took up valuable real estate).

"You'll be a lady-killer as Captain Starlight," she said.

"I'm sure the employees care more about their stock options," Roger said.

For some reason, Lisa reminded him of his mother, who was always trying to get him to attend social activities and turn in his homework. Except his mother had looked like a mother, and Lisa looked more like Shalimar, the star of "Midnight," with the teased hair and clingy sweater dress, breasts always in danger of tumbling out.

"What are you working on there?" she asked.

Roger quickly closed the e-mail on the screen. He was not about to mention Steffi.

"You trust me, don't you?" Lisa said.

He sort of did. Until recently, he had felt that with the efficient Lisa as his assistant, he didn't need a wife. A few times, when she had laughed at his jokes, he'd thought about kissing her. But no, it wasn't quite right. She was too convinced that she had all the answers for him.

Saturday: An unexpected domestic crisis.

Episode 1 (from Sunday): Silicon Valley titan Roger struggles to adjust to his new S.F. digs - and the customs of young Mission dwellers. But he takes solace in his new online friend, Forever Steffi.

Episode 2 (from Monday): Computer whiz Beth deals with being the only female at hacker hostel A T 101. She and roommate Peyton are concerned by a strange SUV that hangs out nearby.

Episode 3 (from Tuesday): Beth chastises her hacker hostel comrades for playing computer games, but secretly does so herself, under the name Forever Steffi.

Episode 4 (from Wednesday): PR pro Andy targets new resident Roger Martin as a game-changing client, and the stakes rise when she learns that he will be attending a socialite's party in Pacific Heights.

Episode 5 (from Thursday): To secure an invitation to a party that Roger Martin will be attending, Andy reluctantly agrees to obtain an escort for a doctor-client. She plans to rely on her go-to girl: Steffi.

This week, Click City will run in Datebook from Monday through Saturday. Then, starting on Nov. 20, the serial will run Wednesdays and Saturdays in Datebook.